SHARKS OVERCOME DEFENDING CHAMPION TITANS IN FIVE SETTER

By Paradis Jolie Fejerang

The Simon Sanchez volleyball boys are following in their female counterpart’s footsteps as they continue to linger at the top of the ISA standings for the ‘23-’24 academic year. Though the Sharks experienced their first loss of the season to Okkodo this past Monday, they approached their match against the Tiyan Titans with confidence and were successful in taking another win for themselves. The Titans put up a good fight, winning the second and fourth sets of the evening but unfortunately lost under the pressure of the fifth and final set. Set scores: 25-21, 24-26, 25-21, 19-25, 15-10.

Sophomore standout Bless Aisek from Sanchez, knows that the Sharks were adamant on getting a win back, sharing that they worked hard during practice to start the game against Tiyan strong. “We were fixing our mistakes,” Aisek notes. “It feels good that we got a win back.”

Still, the Sanchez hustle was met with Tiyan strength as Titan junior Skyler Blas’ powerful swings kept the Sharks from ever getting too comfortable with any sort of lead. As neither team was able to keep a steady advantage over the other post the first set of the evening, it seemed to come down to who was able to keep their cool under the pressure of the game and be more consistent defensively.

For the Sharks, they needed to step up and pay attention to the Titan setter’s opposite that was Blas when he stepped into Tiyan’s front row. As the sets went on, Sanchez began to spread themselves on the court more carefully to avoid their opponent’s keen ability to send even a free ball to an open spot on the Shark’s side of the court.

For the Titans, it was a bit more difficult. Good defense was had against the night’s strongest hitter, Shark middle blocker Aisek, but they had no breaks even when Aisek would be replaced by the libero once he rotated to the back as his teammate of the same position, Phil Rodman, would take his place in the front. Rodman, a junior, was consistent with some impressive kills of his own but shined more defensively to keep the Titans unable to rest with each returned ball.

Between the two, Aisek and Rodman shared that although they are not normally on the court at the same time, the trust that they have in each other has an important role in the sets they win. “When I get out and he is up, I always rely on him to play defense,” says Aisek. “We’re mirroring each other. When he sees something, he tells me and I feel more ready,” agrees Rodman.

Aisek is eager to step back on the court with his team during practice in preparation for future games as he and Rodman agree they are looking forward to helping in winning Simon Sanchez another volleyball championship trophy.

According to the schedule, Tiyan is meant to be on the court again tomorrow to face Guam Adventist Academy. Meanwhile, Sanchez’s athletes will get to rest before they head down south to go against the Dolphins in their home court. Junior Varsity will begin both games at 5:30 pm.

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